Unfortunately, there were multiple creative partners pitching on this project with Hilton (i.e. not just Tongal) and while they were truly impressed with the quality and depth of your pitches, they ultimately decided to go in a different direction for this initiative. 

Luckily, we're anticipating lots more projects from Hilton of all sizes and scopes in the coming months, so while Hilton has decided not to move forward with a Pitch on this project, we really hope you'll stay tuned and pitch on future Hilton projects.

And although most Projects do move forward with a selected Pitch, we will always notify you in the event the Sponsor has decided not to move forward. Please note that regardless of the results, all submissions are reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and the Project Team. We sincerely appreciate your time and effort on this project.

It's easy to assume that big hotels only exist in stuffy, crowded, touristy locations. While you can certainly find a wonderful Hilton in Times Square, there are actually a ton of Hilton properties that are off the beaten path, and those are some of the most unforgettable places you can stay. If you've got a little wanderlust in you, those properties can be as much a part of the local culture as they are gateways to exploring that culture, and thus, to exploring some of the most unique neighborhoods on the globe. That's what this "In the Neighborhood" series is all about.

For this project, we're asking you to show people how Stays at five different Hilton lifestyle properties can be part of a traveler's immersive cultural experience, via a captivating profile of the hotel and its local neighborhood. Each of the five Hilton properties is in a different part of the world, so this definitely involves travel on your part. The series you create will be anchored by five 2-3 minute hero videos shot for YouTube in 16x9, and then complemented by social-first edits reworking your footage to feel specific to Instagram Reels in 9x16. Ultimately, the goal is to inspire travelers to stay at a Hilton lifestyle property and encourage then to explore the vibrant neighborhoods around these properties. While the YouTube videos will cover the neighborhoods, the Instagram Reels versions will need to focus more on the properties themselves. The Instagram Reels videos will be recut from your hero content.

A key element here is that the hero videos should revolve around a small cast, and give viewers a tour of the local neighborhood using either a 1st or 3rd-person POV, showcasing unique local experiences, attractions, and cultural aspects of the area, while clearly positioning a Stay at one of Hilton's lifestyle properties as cornerstones to their neighborhoods. You'll want to capture what makes each property special in its own right, drawing attention to a featured guest room and some of the hotel's key amenities, and how they mirror or complement what makes the local area unique. In terms of the cast, each video should include its own unique characters, between 1-4 people, and the number should vary from property to property depending on what particular "Stay" story is associated with that location (e.g. are we following a solo traveler? A couple? Small friend group? Family?). Cast should be a mix of diverse and inclusive Millennial and Gen Z. It's likely that you'll need some dialogue and/or VO, but your creative approach will determine whether any is included. 

While your hero videos should follow a traditional three-act narrative structure (setup, immersive Stay journey, transformation), how you approach this and bring the traveler's Stay to life is open to your interpretation. Creatively, your treatment should present a strong visual POV: how would you set your videos apart from other hotel/travel content, as well as other 'follow me'-style POV social videos? What unexpected storytelling and visual direction can you bring with your overall approach and what can you do with your cinematography to catch viewers by surprise, with an ownable, original style? Think about The Weeknd's Super Bowl Half Time Show, where he unexpectedly grabbed a selfie camera, and then seamlessly handed it off to a camera operator, to create something that was unexpectedly playful and dynamic. That's along the lines of the creativity we're hoping for.

This project will also require an Arri LF or 35 camera package and global travel. You should also expect to pilot one episode from pre-production to delivery to set a template, tone, and style for the series, and then batch-produce the remaining episodes. While the full, final list of properties/locations may shift, we've listed the most likely Hilton hotels and their locations in the Background to give you a sense of the travel scope. Logistics are going to be a key consideration here, so your pitch materials should give us a thorough introduction to your core team (e.g. producer, director, DP, editor), and account for how you expect to handle equipment, crew, and travel, as that should be included in your line budget. Our assumption is that you'll travel some key team members, and key camera equipment, but still hire some local crew (be sure to post crew positions on Backlot!), although we're not mandating a particular approach to staffing. If you happen to be local to one of the locations to begin with, all the better. 

One last element to keep in mind is that, while you'll be able to work with the Hilton marketing team and team members at each property to identify points of interest that align and connect with their amenities, you should also outline your research approach in your treatment: will you staff someone for this purpose, work with local fixers, or lean into travel vlogs/blogs and local guides? 

For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.

DELIVERABLES: There are 10 total video assets and 25 still assets.

• Five 2-3 minute "In the Neighborhood" Stay videos (16:9)
• Five :15-:60 property-focused Stay videos (9:16)
• Five stills (aspect ratio TBD) per property, pulled from video content
• All raw files and project files, editing sequences and a 4K .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec.
• SRT caption files

EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE. Please note there will likely be some adjustments to the timeline as properties are confirmed, but this should give you a good sense of what to expect.

EXPOSURE: We expect content will be used on the platforms below, but if casting talent, be sure they review our required  Talent Release before they're cast, as it is NOT limited to these platforms. You should also review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the  platform best practices.

• Hilton.com, Hilton owned YouTube and Instagram channels.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Lifestyle and independent traveler: Millennials, especially younger Millennials, and Gen Z.

TONE/FEEL: Vibrant, exciting, inspiring, intriguing.

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• Your “A” cam package must be an ARRI Alexa, Alexa Mini, Alexa Mini LF, or Alexa 35. Your bid should include all gear, rental, and crew costs associated with this package. While a 2^nd camera isn’t required, if your creative approach includes one, you should speak to that camera package in your treatment. If you are traveling the ARRI camera package, you will likely need to fill out a carnet for international travel. 
• Your bid must include your travel costs, including lodging (you do not have to stay on-property with Hilton, but you also should not expect to be comped rooms for yourself or your crew). 
• Client on set: members of the Hilton and Tongal teams will be on set for this project, and other members may require a virtual playback link.
• In terms of releases & paperwork, be mindful that any visible talent, and any key neighborhood locations that you film at, will need to sign the Tongal talent and location releases. For public spaces or crowds, it may be possible to use a public notice of filming. This should be accounted for in pre-production.
  
  

OPEN BID:

• This is an open bid project, so you'll get to submit your own budget proposal up to $500,000 (or $100,000 per property). If it makes sense, you may submit multiple versions of your bid at a budget, target, and reach price point.
• By participating in this open bid project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a bid. Furthermore, this project is potentially also being bid on by multiple Hilton partners. Though most open bid projects do move forward, we'll notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any bids via the Project Forum. Regardless of the result, all open bid submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and project team.

In order to be considered, include the below materials in your submission. For examples of effective pitches check out this gallery. All Pitches remain private, even after a Pitch is selected, and Tongal strives to have Pitch selections made by the end of the Evaluation period, but additional time may be required by the Sponsor, depending on any number of factors.

• TEXT (REQUIRED): Up to 500 characters synopsizing how you plan to approach and produce the content listed in the Deliverables.
  
  
• TREATMENT (REQUIRED): A more detailed and specific description of how you propose to execute all of the content listed out in the Deliverables. Explain what we can expect to see, and how you'll make it. If it's helpful, we've provided a treatment template HERE.
  
  
• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please specify your role (producer, director, editor, artist, etc.) but do not include links to your showreel. Please link to individual videos.
  
  
• BID/BUDGET (REQUIRED): This is an open bid project and the Sponsor would like you to create ALL of the content listed in the Deliverables within a budget total up to $500,000 ($100,000 per property). You can download the budget template HERE.
  
  
• PITCH VIDEO (Optional): This is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the Sponsor and show what you're capable of. Consider a video in which you tell the Sponsor what they can expect, or consider test videos, proof-of-concept edits, animatics, etc. For examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery.
  
  
• APPRENTICESHIP ADVISOR (Optional): The Tongal On-Set Apprenticeship Program is an opportunity to support new & emerging talent in production positions with hands-on on-set experience. Please indicate on the pitch submission form if you would be interested in overseeing an apprentice on your production; your answer will neither increase nor decrease the likelihood of your pitch being greenlit. The Tongal On-Set Apprenticeship Program is an opportunity to support new & emerging talent in production positions with hands-on on-set experience. Please indicate on the pitch submission form if you would be interested in overseeing an apprentice on your production; your answer will neither increase nor decrease the likelihood of your pitch being greenlit. Tongal will cover the apprentice's day rate outside of your project budget, and if you are matched with an apprentice, your Tongal producer will reach out with more information. To learn more about the On-Set Apprenticeship Program and the responsibilities of an advisor, please click HERE.

1. In addition to the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment, greenlit Video creators MUST also provide Talent, Location, Music (or other) Releases for all assets appearing in their Videos, as well as a photograph/headshot OR copy of a photo ID for all On-camera Talent releases. You must also provide all project files, editing sequences and a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec to claim your earnings. Tongal also reserves the right to request all raw files associated with the project.
   
   
2. Unless provided otherwise, all work must be your own original creation and free of any copyrighted material. You shall provide detailed information of your work regarding the source, the creator and background information as requested by Tongal.
   
   
3. In the event you utilize any third-party materials, such as music provided by a third-party music provider not provided by Tongal, you must obtain full written license and consent from the owner of such third-party materials and provide such license and consent forms to Tongal.
   
   
4. The Sponsor will be entitled to reasonable revisions on the finished Videos without providing additional compensation. Remember it's easier to re-edit than re-shoot so try to get as much coverage as possible.
   
   
5. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website is HD 720p and formatted for the aspect ratios listed in the Deliverables (e.g. 16x9). Acceptable file formats are .mov, .avi, .mp4, .wmv. Acceptable codecs are H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4, H.263, MPGV, WMV, DivX. Should your submission be greenlit, you will also be required to provide a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec.
   
   
6. BY SUBMITTING A VIDEO ENTRY, YOUR SUBMISSION IMMEDIATELY BECOMES THE SOLE PROPERTY OF TONGAL OR ITS ASSIGNEES ? SEE OFFICIAL RULES FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES. YOU MAY NOT PUBLICLY SHARE OR PUBLISH YOUR SUBMISSION IN ANY MANNER AND YOU MAY NOT POST OR UPLOAD YOUR SUBMISSION TO ANY WEBSITE OR VIDEO HOSTING SITE (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE OR VIMEO), WITHOUT THE PRIOR EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF TONGAL. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF YOUR ENTRY IN THE PROJECT.
   
   
7. You may not contact any employees or members of the Sponsor's organization, their affiliates, or any of their partners. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification of your entry in the project.
   
   
8. In addition to the judging criteria stated in the OFFICIAL RULES, Pitches will also be evaluated on that member's ability to execute the final Video based on their prior work and experience as a creator.
   
   
9. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.
   
   
10. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor, nor can Submissions contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
    
    
11. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
12. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
13. See OFFICIAL RULES for additional contest information, terms and conditions. If there is any conflict or inconsistency between these requirements and the Official Rules, the terms and conditions of these requirements shall prevail.